The Moors Circus
by Dinard
Summary: "Welcome to the Moors Circus, where dreams come true and can be replaced by your worst nightmare in a blink of the eye. Watch closely, as you will never see such performances and creatures anywhere else!" [Alternative Universe, Freak Show, dark themes, Malora]
1. Welcome to the circus

****Dislaimer:**** Maleficent and its characters belong to Disney.

First serious multi-chapter fanfiction, in English, for Maleficent.

Originally posted on my tumblr.

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It had been years since Aurora had last seen her father.

She sighed contently as she put down her suitcase. There she was, the Moors Circus. The place was surprisingly calm, it was disturbing. A circus should always be full of people, of laugh and joy and children running around but all the blonde could see were small stages made of wood and a red and white striped capital all collapsed on the grass burned by the heat of summer. It was far from being the breathtakingly gorgeous sight she expected, yet she had the feeling she would soon enough learn to enjoy it -as she had with most things.

A soft sound interrupted her thoughts. She gazed around her but could not find the source of the flutter like noise. She heard it again, louder this time. It happened again and was followed by a grunt. She made her way to the capital, where she believed the small groan came from. A cranky shelter under which stood rusty cages, Aurora was not sure how many though. She approached the cage that was the closest to her, trying her best not to make too much noise. All she was able to distinguish were feathers covered in dust. Were these wings? They had to belong to the biggest bird ever.

"Who are you?" a voice called behind her, making her jump.

Aurora turned her back to the cages and was faced with a small, his thick eyebrows were almost touching because of the severe expression on his face. The blonde smiled gently but the man snorted. He took endless seconds to examine her from head to toes; her long golden locks of hair, her bright blue eyes and rosy cheeks. He made a sound with his nose when he stared at her flower-patterned dress, maybe he did not like flowers, Aurora thought.

"You're Stefan's daughter."

"Yes, I am. I'm Aurora-"

The little man raised a hand and started to walk away, gesturing for her to follow him. Why was he going to the entrance? _Oh_, her suitcase. She had completely forgotten about it. He picked it up for her.

"Thank you, mister-"

"Not carrying it for you." he said as he forced the suitcase into her arms. These were his only words before he resumed walking in the opposite direction. _He surely was not talkative_. Aurora smiled to stopped abruptly in front of a group of tents, there were some voices coming from one of them. Aurora had found exactly what she wanted: lively people. The small man entered a tent, the largest one. There must have been at least a dozen of persons inside, sitting at tables, discussing animatedly subjects Aurora did not quite understand. Men and women of all sizes and shapes and colors, never had Aurora seen so much diversity in a room that confined. She had no doubt she would love the circus.

"What did you bring us today, Grumpy?" a man with black hair and eyes just as dark asked, standing up from his chair. He was rather tall, and _undressed_ as all he was wearing were pants. He approached and extended an arm to Aurora, who noticed the many scars covering his pale skin. "My name's Diaval."

"Don't you dare touch her, freak."

An heavy silence fell in the tent. A bearded man had just walked in, back straight and chin high.

It had been years since Aurora had last seen her father. But she would have been able to recognize him in a crowd. She might not remember much of him, but this intense gaze was just enough. The blonde jumped in his arms and he hugged her back hesitantly under the rest of the group's suspicious glares. Stefan let go of his daughter and took a quick look at her.

"Welcome to the Moors Circus, where all your dreams can come true!"

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First very short chapter, most will be about that long. I don't know how many chapters I will write or when I will be able to update because I have basically two weeks of finals coming up.

Hope people will like the idea as much as they did on tumblr.

Also, rating will most probably change.


	2. Once Upon A Dream

****Dislaimer: ****Maleficent and its characters belong to Disney.

Updated earlier than expected! It feels good!

Originally posted on my tumblr.

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Night had set on the circus hours ago already but the air was still warm.

Aurora was wandering around the tents, listening closely to every sound she could hear; the laughter, the cries that had followed a loud argument and the flutter of feathers colliding with iron bars. _That noise again_. She followed it, careful not to step on anything, but the darkness was making the task particularly difficult. The cages she had found earlier that day were still there, covered in a large piece of thick material. It must have been put on the cages so the enormous bird would not be awaken when the sun would rise.

Her curiosity was becoming impossible to ignore. She gave a quick glance around her and took the cover off of the cages as soon as she was sure nobody could see her. Large wings were curled up around a body. All Aurora could see was the moonlight reflecting weakly on the dirty dark feathers. Their beauty must have been a glorious sight years ago. The wings twitched and a pair of glowing green and golden eyes peaked from under one of them. A small gasp escaped the girl's mouth. These eyes, they were humanly, they couldn't belong to a bird. Aurora reached for the wings and traced a finger along its dusty feathers, it shivered and the blonde couldn't control her giggle. Aurora closed her eyes, her hand more confident as her palm caressed the wing.

"Aurora!" a strong voice called from afar. The girl jumped and opened her eyes. The cage had disappeared and so had the night and the moon. Had it all been a dream? The voice called her name again.

"You can come in, Father." she said as she sat up in the small bed, hiding her nightgown-clad body with her blanket.

He pushed the door open after a few seconds, most probably to be sure he would have to witness how grown up his daughter, who he had not seen since she was about ten, was now. She smiled brightly, all thoughts of her dream forgotten. Her smile was only returned by a frown.

"You should be up already."

Aurora was about to apologize when he resumed talking, ignoring her attempt to open her mouth to speak up.

"We don't want you running around the circus during preparations and training, you might want to go visit the town. It's not far from here, you can walk there."

The blonde nodded approvingly, still smiling despite of her father's lack of display of affection. She knew he was a busy man and could understand that keeping the circus working was his priority, there was nothing wrong with that after all.

"Get ready quickly, I'll tell you how to find the town."

He closed the door before Aurora could say anything. No "I love you", no "It's nice to see you again", not even a simple wave. She sighed and got up, walking to her suitcase. Not wanting to waste time she decided to wear the dress she had worn the previous day, as well as to not put on any make-up, after all her aunties must be right when they kept telling her she never needed it.

Stefan was waiting outside the small trailer she was to stay in during her summer at the circus -it troubled her that her father refused to tell her whose home she was taking. He guided her to the entrance, just under the huge sign with "The Moors Circus" written in large red letters, the paint was cracked which gave a rather charming aspect to sign.

"Town is this way" he said, pointing a finger at their let. "Visitors usually arrive around 4PM to play some games but the show doesn't start until 6PM. Be there on time."

His voice was hoarse and surprisingly threatening, but she brushed it off as she started walking, ready to live a new adventure -just like one of the characters in her favorite books.

"I will be, I promise!"

Her father was already giving all his attention to the short men trying to move the cages, screaming at them for not being careful.

_The cages_...

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Stefan is an horrible person but he is enjoyable to write. And I still have to introduce Maleficent officially! Maybe next time!

I might update it soon again, I'm enjoying writing this fic!

Also, thanks for reading! I love you all!


	3. Maléfique

****Dislaimer: ****Maleficent and its characters belong to Disney.

New chapter for this fic that seems to be getting popular. Thanks to every person who read it! Also, sorry for updating later than for the previous one.

Special thanks to MaloraQueens who really motivated me!

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These glowing eyes of green and gold were haunting her mind.

Seeing the cages just before leaving had reminded her of her dream, she could only wonder if the bird in the cage really had this piercing gaze. It would not be that surprising, it was a circus known for its supernatural performances after all. __Maybe it is the Jitterbug__. Aurora giggled at the ridiculous idea. She quickened her pace, eager to discover what the town looked like, to meet new faces. Some of her friends had told her people living in small towns were even nicer than those in cities, but others, like Belle, had said it was the exact opposite. A content sigh escaped her lips, she would see by herself.

"Follow the yellow brick road!" she sang happily, her steps in unison with her mood. "I should have taken the basket my aunties gave me..."

Aurora started to run when she saw the clock tower. She stopped abruptly, stunned by the strangely beautiful view. She was sure the main street was at least half of the town, allowing her to see it almost in its totality with one quick look. The town consisted of small Victorian houses, which looked elegant with their porches, thin columns, intricate moldings and high chimneys, even the ivy covering the walls could not take away the beauty of these homes. Lost in her thoughts, the girl neither heard the boy walking up to her or saw his shadow next to hers.

"Excuse me?"

The voice, even if sweet, made the blonde jump. She looked over her shoulders, her heart hammering in her chest. She turned completely to face the boy who had interrupted her, intrigued by the kindness that seemed to emanate from him; he was nothing like the persons she had met the previous day. No frown, no fake smile.

"I was looking for the circus and got lost..."

Silence settled back immediately, as all they could do was look into each other's eyes, waiting for either of them to speak up. The long seconds passing by started making Aurora feel uncomfortable, and she raised a finger, pointing it towards the direction she came from.

"It's this way."

The boy's eyebrows furrowed

"The circus... it's this way." she added with a small smile.

He opened his mouth but closed it without saying a word, still staring at this blonde he knew he had never seen before.

"Do you have a name?" Aurora asked, realizing that the young man was at loss for words, and because she did not want for this conversation to end just now.

"My name's Philip! And yours...?"

"I'm Aurora!"

As they were both to go to the circus and were not ready to part their ways just yet, Aurora and Philip walked around town side by side, sometimes breaking the enjoyable silence between when they saw something interesting. From the old lady with strange black and white hair walking too many dogs to be counted to the woman singing to the pigeons, the two new friends would comment anything different from what they were used to.

Seeing the circus crowded with smiling persons, kids running and laughing filled Aurora's heart. She held her breath a moment before going through the entrance.

"Hey, princess! Back already?" said the black-haired she remembered to be Diaval. She had not been able to talk to him the previous evening as her father kept glaring menacingly at him.

"Yes! Father told me to be here on time for the show!"

"And you've brought a... friend?" he asked, an eyebrow raised as he examined the brunette boy from head to toe. Was he trying to be intimidating? He seemed to work because Philip was barely able to hide the fact his legs were trembling.

"This is Philip. Philip, this is Diaval, he works at the circus!"

"I'll see you at the show, princess!"

Aurora's eyes were shining with excitement, the show was even better than anything she could have expected. She had laughed because of the dwarf clowns, clapped for the horses and their trainers, gasped when Diaval had breathed fire with the help of a lit torch and hidden her eyes with her hands. To think the was not even finished yet simply took her breath away, she could not wait to see the _grand final_, as her father called it. Philip, sitting just next to her, had tried to catch her attention a few times but had not succeeded. Stefan made his way to the center of the capital again, the lights went down and silence fell.

"Be warned, dear audience! If you think you have everything, you _will_ be surprised! What you are about to see, you will never forget it. _Never_!"

He paused and raised his arms above his head.

"Beware the Mistress of all Evil, Maleficent!"

He bowed swiftly. The curtains opened. A creature with large wings flew over him. The bird in the cage!

She had not only dreamed the glowing green eyes with flecks of gold, they were real. And the bird was no bird, but rather the most beautiful creature Aurora had ever seen.

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Maleficent is here, yeah! And so is Philip! Longest chapter yet.


	4. Amazed by a Monster

**Disclaimer**: Maleficent and its characters belong to Disney.

I want to thank every person who read and enjoyed the first chapters! And two more than the others: kyuryun, whose idea it was to make a freak show au, and one more time MaloraQueens -because I'm not forgetting about you, dearie.

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The mere sight of the creature named Maleficent had taken her breath way.

The show had ended hours ago but Aurora's mind was still set its last part. Laying in her bed, she closed her eyes, trying to remember every detail of the creature's body. Enormous wings covered in brown feathers, impressive horns on the top of her head. What had shocked her the most was not what made Maleficent a freak though, but rather how human her face was, despite the sharpness of her cheekbones and her bright green eyes. A knock on the door made her jump, brutally breaking her train of thoughts. She got up and adjusted her nightgown, making sure she would not be too exposed, before opening the door. Diaval was standing awkwardly still, shifting on the ball of bare feet, glancing nervously around him.

"What is it, Diaval?"

The man looked a last time in the direction of Stefan's trailer before giving all his attention to the sleepy blonde.

"I want to introduce you to a friend of mine," he whispered before taking Aurora's hand in calloused on, tucking at her arm. She followed him without saying a word, forgetting completely about the open door of the trailer when she realized where he was taking her. The cages. Diaval took the blanket off of the first cage and knelt down.

"Maleficent, are you awake?"

A flutter of wings answered his question. Aurora stayed silent, staring at the iron bars, impatiently waiting for her eyes to adapt to the darkness of the night. She wanted to see the winged woman.

"There's a new one. Her name's Aurora. She- she's... Stefan's daughter..."

There was a menacing growl. Aurora stepped back and Diaval fell down. Was it her father's name that angered the woman so much? Even if he was not the gentlest person she knew, she did not know him to be hateful.

"DIAVAL!" a strong voice called from afar.

"It's your father, probably just want to scold me for scaring you during the show. I'll see you soon, Aurora," he got up and looked back at the two women a last time. "Oh, and be nice, Maleficent!"

Aurora stood facing the cage for endless seconds before Maleficent shifted in her cage. Glowing green eyes were fixated on her, the rest of her body hidden behind one of her large wings. The blonde was staring back, smiling sweetly at the strange woman to make her feel comfortable, at ease.

"Don't be afraid."

Maleficent's wings trembled.

"I'm not afraid."

Aurora's smile widened. She grabbed the bars of the cage, getting closer the Maleficent.

"Then show yourself."

"Then you'll be afraid."

The girl knelt down, just like Diaval had moments ago. It might help the woman to feel better around her. The wing moved slightly to the side, exposing the rest of her face. Under the light of the full moon, she looked even more beautiful, more surreal. It accentuated the sharpness of her features.

"I'm Aurora," the blonde said, extended her arm between the bars.

Maleficent stared at her hand and then up at Aurora's face, her eyes wide open and full of confusion. The horned woman reached for it, brushing her finger against the blonde's soft skin.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" she asked with a barely audible voice.

"Should I be?"

"You should. I'm a monster."

Maleficent looked down at her hands resting of the ground. Aurora giggled, surprising the woman whose eyes find her again.

"I think you look like a fairy!"

"A fairy?"

She nodded vigorously.

"A fairy is a beautiful creature with wings," seeing the curiosity and incomprehension in Maleficent's gaze, she kept talking. "At least that's what my aunties told me they are. And you know, you're only a monster because you're different. But I'm different from you too. So... I'm also a monster!"

For the first time, there was a smile on Maleficent's ruby lips. Aurora felt a flutter in her stomach. The simplest smile of a strange was making her happy.

"I- I should go to sleep... I'll see you soon, Maleficent!"

Aurora raised on her feet and took the blanket, holding without being certain what to do. Maleficent gestured for her to cover the cage with it, so she did. And ran back to the trailer.

Maleficent laid down on the hard ground, wrapping herself in the comforting warmth of her wings, making sure not a part of her body was touching the iron bars of the cage before closing her eyes.

"Curious little beastie," she whispered to herself, etching the blonde girl's genuine smile in her mind.

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I updated, yaay! I'm so proud of this chapter!

First real meeting between our two favorite cuties! Gods, I love writing them talking!


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